English FA Cup Finalists 2000 - 2009

By the turn of the century, Wembley Stadium was showing its age and its facilities were far inferior to the new club stadia that were being built around the UK. In 2000, the stadium was torn down and work begun on the new Wembley. Sadly the iconic twin towers were not preserved but in their place the designers put a graceful steel arch that could be seen right across London. The FA Cup's new temporary home was the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, a magnificent state of the art structure built for the 1999 Rugby World Cup.

1999 - 2000

Chelsea 1 Aston Villa 0

venue Wembley Stadium
date 20 May 2000

The last cup final at the old Wembley was one of the least memorable games to have been staged there. The first half was dreadful but the game did pick up in the second half. Chelsea's side of international stars included only one Englishman, Dennis Wise. The winning goal came in the 72nd minute to give Chelsea the win that, on balance they deserved.

2000 - 2001

Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1

venue Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
date 12 May 2001

With eight minutes left, Arsenal appeared to be cruising to victory in the FA Cup's temporary home in South Wales. Then, in an astonishingly dramatic finale, Michael Owen scored twice to add the FA Cup to the League Cup Liverpool had won earlier in the season. Days later they won the UEFA Cup to complete a superb treble.

2001 - 2002

Arsenal 2 Chelsea 0

venue Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
date 4 May 2002

Arsenal returned to Cardiff to meet their fellow Londoners, Chelsea and this time it was the Gunners who stole the match. The Blues were the better side in a dull game but two excellent late goals clinched the cup for Arsenal.

2002 - 2003

Arsenal 1 Southampton 0

venue Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
date 17 May 2003

Older fans of Southampton could be forgiven for casting their minds back to 1976 when their team ran out in their gold and blue change kit that so closely resembled the one worn when they won the cup. However, it was Arsenal, making their third consecutive final appearance, who ground out a win that recalled the old days of "Boring Arsenal."

2003 - 2004

Manchester United 3 Millwall 0

venue Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
date 22 May 2004

United arrived at the Millennium Stadium as 10-1 on favourites and, for once, there was no fairy tale ending for the First Division (now the second tier) team. Millwall were outplayed and outclassed but they did have the compensation of playing in the UEFA Cup the following season as United qualified for the Champions League.

2004 - 2005

Arsenal 0 Manchester United 0 (Arsenal won 5-4 on penalties)

venue Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
date 21 May 2005

Arsenal and Manchester United renewed their rivalry in Cardiff but, despite being two of the most attack-minded teams in the country, they failed to produce any goals in 120 minutes. United had dominated the match with Rooney tormenting the Arsenal defence. For the first time in its 133-year history, the FA Cup was decided by a penalty shoot-out.

2005 - 2006

Liverpool 3 West Ham United 3 (Liverpool won 3-1 on penalties)

venue Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
date 13 May 2006

The new Wembley Stadium was behind schedule so the final stayed in Cardiff and was again decided on penalties. West Ham scored after seven minutes (Carragher og) and twenty minutes later they had a second. Liverpool came storming back and had a goal disallowed before Cisse volleyed home on 32 minutes. Ten minutes after the break, Gerrard equalised but West Ham stunned the Liverpool support by taking back the lead when Konchesky sent over a high cross that looped over Reina in the into the net. Liverpool teams generally do not know when they are beaten and this side was no exception. As the match went into injury time and the Hammers' fans prepared to celebrate, Liverpool's captain Steve Gerrard scored from 35 yards. There was little action in extra-time and both teams were prepared to settle for a penalty contest. Reina saved three penalties in the shoot-out, an exciting climax to what was considered the best final for 20 years.

2006 - 2007

Chelsea 1 Manchester United 0 (Extra time played)

venue Wembley Stadium
date 19 May 2007

By a curious twist of fate, Chelsea, who had won the cup in the last final at the old Wembley now won it again in the first final to be played at the new one. The match was far from being a classic but that did not matter to the ecstatic Chelsea supporters.

2007 - 2008

Portsmouth 1 Cardiff City 0

venue Wembley Stadium
date 17 May 2008

For once none of the four big Premiership sides featured in the FA Cup final of 2008. Both teams had previously won the cup before the Second World War, Cardiff in 1927 and Portsmouth in 1939. The match was closely contested and only a single goal, snatched by Kanu when the Cardiff goalkeeper fumbled in the 38th minute, separated the sides. In the second half Cardiff, wearing the lucky black kit that had seen them through both quarter- and semi-finals, pressed their Premier League opponents harder and harder but could not find their way through. For the first time in 69 years the famous Pompey Chimes rang out at Wembley Stadium.

2008 - 2009

Chelsea 2 Everton 1

venue Wembley Stadium
date 30 May 2009

The final was put back to the end of May to ensure that it would be the climax to the domestic season. On a baking hot day in brilliant sunshine, Everton, playing in their first final since 1995, could not have asked for a better start when Louis Saha scored after just 25 seconds, the fastest ever goal in a cup final. Chelsea came back strongly to equalise midway through the first half, Didier Drogba finding space between Everton's central defenders to head home Malouda's cross. Chelsea dominated the second half but, with both teams committed to the attack, the match might have gone either way before Lampard let fly a terrific strike from distance that beat Tim Howard in the Everton goal with sheer pace. Chelsea could have had a third when Malouda's powerful shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced back into play: TV replays showed that the ball had crossed the line in an uncanny recreation of Geoff Hurst's 1966 World Cup final goal.